The Interpreter, FSU Office of Compliance

Gender Equity Deadline

The Justice Department is beginning preparations for investigations into university athletic programs that don’t pay the coaches of their women’s teams as much as their men’s teams. The department will be going over the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act reports to determine if there are violations of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Act forbids discrimination in hiring or pay on the basis of sex.

In 1997, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission came out with a set of guidelines for athletic departments. The guidelines state that institutions can not use fan support and revenue as sole criteria in making salary decisions.

A recent analysis of the disclosure reports showed that the head coaches of men’s teams averaged annual salaries of $65,000, while the head coach of women’s teams averaged just $42,900. Assistant coaches of men’s teams were at roughly $37,800. the comparable amount for women’s assistant coaches was $24,700.

There has been some concern that the institutions may have filled out the disclosure form incorrectly. They might be accused of not being in compliance, with a great deal of publicity to that fact. Later (with no fanfare) they may be found to be OK, since they included benefits not to be listed, etc.

Another interesting fact is that Division I institutions had an average of 12 head coaches, six for each gender. However the institutions had on average, 13 assistant coaches for men’s teams, and only seven assistants for women’s teams.

Recently, the National Organization of Women’s (NOW) coordinator for athletic issues filed gender equity complaints with the Department of Education against the University of Southern California, the University of California at Los Angeles, as well as Saint Mary’s College of California athletic departments. The NOW board of directors has passed a resolution authorizing the coordinator to audit college athletics departments outside of the state of California in which to pursue potential gender equity violations. The coordinator, Ms. Joplin, has stated that she is planning to look at schools at the bottom of the list and “call them and request copies of their Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act for the past three years, and ask them if they have concrete plans for women.”

In the state of Florida, we have both a team in the top ten of highest share of expenditures to women’s teams and one in the lowest share to women’s teams. Florida Atlantic University (a Division I-AAA school) spends 51% of their expenditures on their women’s teams. While Jacksonville University (a Division I-AA school) only spends 21% of their total expenditures on women’s teams. It should be remembered that these figures do not take into account the total percentage of undergraduate females on campus (which helps to determine how much they should spend), and that these figures are from the 1997-98 academic year.

Transfer Information

This is the season for student-athletes that are dissatisfied with their current situations to begin investigating the possibility of transferring to another institution. With that in mind there are a few things that you should be aware of about needs to be addressed should you be contacted by such a student-athlete. According to Bylaw 14, student-athletes whose major course of study has been terminated, or their sport has been discontinued, or reclassified at a lower level, may transfer without having to sit out a residency year. And of course it is impermissible to contact a student-athlete at another institution without first obtaining written permission from the institutions athletic director per Bylaw 13.1.1.3.1, regardless of who made first contact. If permission is not granted, the institution should discourage the transfer. If the student-athlete still decides to transfer to the next institution, financial assistance can not be provided to the student-athlete for the first academic year in residence. If permission is granted, all normal recruiting rules apply.

Dayton Probe

A University of Dayton trustee has acknowledged making two personal loans to a basketball recruit’s father to help him qualify for a home mortgage. The loans were made after the recruit verbally committed, but prior to his signing a National Letter of Intent. The trustee self-reported the violation a few days later, leading to the current NCAA investigation. He has since offered to resign from the board of trustees, but the university president has said he will not recommend that his resignation be accepted.

From the Interpretation File

Bylaw 15.3.5.1 Renewals and Nonrenewals – Institutional Obligation
The renewal of institutional financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability shall be made on or before July 1, prior to the academic year in which it is to be effective. The institution shall promptly notify, in writing, each student-athlete who received an award the previous academic year and has eligibility remaining in the sport in which financial aid was awarded the previous academic year whether the grant has been renewed or not renewed for the ensuing year. Notification of financial aid renewals and nonrenewals must come from institution’s normal financial aid authority and not from the institution’s athletic department. An institution may reconsider and award aid to a student-athlete previously not renewed.

Contest Questions

1) An institution may increase the amount of aid offered to a student-athlete between the time the financial aid letter is signed and the beginning of the award.

a) True

b) False

2) Institutional aid based on athletics’ ability may be reduced during the period of award for any athletics reason.

a) True

b) False

Please submit your answers to the Compliance Office by June 30th.

……In the News

There is currently legislation in the Louisiana State Legislature making it a crime for not only agents, but student-athletes, to violate NCAA rules. Senate Bill 1071 is in regard to the regulation of intercollegiate athletics, and states, “Prohibits any athlete agent, NCAA or NAIA representative or employee, member of the coaching staff of an institution of higher education, or athlete from directly or indirectly committing a knowing, intentional and serious infraction of any rule of the NCAA or NAIA. Creates a review panel to examine violations in an adjudicatory hearing conducted in compliance with the Administrative Procedure Act.” Collegiate administrators should pay heed to the progress of this law, as it’s success may pave the way for inclusion in other state’s review processes. With the passing of this bill, NCAA repercussions may not be the ultimate penalty anymore, incarceration and financial penalties may be more sever, and coaches who in the past could flee to another school a step ahead of the NCAA may have a harder time escaping these penalties.

The University of Florida is in the news, once again, as allegations of improprieties continued to mount regarding student-athletes and their association with agent William “Tank” Black. A former linebacker from the UF football team stated that he had received $500 a month from Black in exchange for a promise to sign with his agency following the end of his collegiate career. The former player is no longer represented by Black, and neither are two other former UF footballers who acknowledged their association with Black to university police. Black represents roughly 25 NFL players currently, as well as the NBA’s rookie of the year, Vince Carter. The UF university police are investigating Black, as is the NFLPA. Thus far no charges have been filed, and the university may face NCAA sanctions, if it comes to light they were aware (or should have been aware) that sports agents were giving athletes money or gifts. Black’s attorney has stated emphatically that the allegations are untrue, and that the NFLPA is on a “witch hunt”. Due to state laws passed in 1994 regarding contact between agents and student-athletes, should the allegations be true, Black could be looking at a maximum of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Baylor University pitcher Chad Hawkins has been suspended from pitching in the opening game of an NCAA regional baseball tournament game. The suspension is the result of winning money in an NCAA basketball pool. The indiscretion came to light in an article in the Waco Tribune-Herald regarding Hawkins’ charity work. In interviewing the pitcher’s father, the elder Hawkins’ mentioned that Chad had invited homeless people to stay in his apartment, given away a stereo he had received as a gift, and donated money he won on the NCAA tourney pool to help needy children in Africa. Hawkins was the No. 2 starter for the team. “Cooperative discussions between the NCAA and Baylor” led to the finding that this was an isolated incident, resulting in the relatively light penalty.

Coaches Calendar

Remember to check your coaches calendar. You should be finalizing renewal/nonrenewals very shortly. And don’t forget to send your preliminary squad lists to the compliance office. If you have any questions, please call 644-4272.

Recruiting Calendar

JUNE

Men’s Basketball

June 1 – June 30…………. Quiet period

Football

June 1 – June 30…………. Quiet period

Women’s Basketball

June 1 – June 30…………. Quiet period

COMPLIANCE STAFF

Mr. Bob Minnix

Associate Athletic

Director for Compliance

Ms. Pennie Parker

Director of Compliance Services

Mr. Brian Battle

Compliance Coordinator

Ms. Xiomara Disla

Graduate Assistant

Ms. Bonnie Doyle

Graduate Assistant

Mr. Reggie Gonser

Graduate Assistant

Mr. Jason Hall

Graduate Assistant

Mr. John Lata

Graduate Assistant

The Interpreter is published by John Lata. All comments should be directed to The Interpreter, P.O. Drawer 2195, Tallahassee, FL 32316, phone (850) 644-4390, or by e-mail at: john_lata@hotmail.com